Community Brewing is Turning 2!

One of Dallas' favorite and older local breweries is turning two this month and they're throwing themselves a party. The Sig-O and I went to the 1st anniversary party, so we have no doubt that this one will be even bigger and better. Word of advice - get your tickets online and early - you may be able to get in, but don't you want the cool glass and first crack and the special oaked/aged beers or small batch releases? Get your tickets already. It's the best $25 you'll spend this week.

Dallas Observer Brewfest is Coming! And We've Got a Presale Password for You!

Join Dallas Observer on Saturday, September 13th at the Dallas Farmers Market as we celebrate the 4th Annual Dallas Observer BrewFest presented by Whole Foods Market. BrewFest is an outdoor beer-sampling event and festival that will feature over 150 beers from around the globe, local food vendors and live music! Twelve (2oz) beer samples are included in the ticket price. Doors open at 6:00 for VIP and 7:00 for General Admission. 21+ ONLY We are excited to offer you this exclusive presale opportunity to purchase tickets before they go on sale to the general public! Starts: July 8 @ 10am Ends: July 10 @ 10pm Promo Code: IntheKnowDallas Public On sale: 7/11 @ 10am VIP Ticket includes: 12 – 2 oz. Beer Samplings from 150+ Beer Options PLUS Early Entry into Event one hour earlier at 6:00, access to VIP Area with liquor sampling and exclusive catered food. All Tickets Include: 12 – 2 oz. Beer Samplings, with additional sampling cards available for purchase at the event and Live Music All Guests must be 21+, with a Valid I.D. Websites: Website: www.dobrewfest.com Ticket Site: www.ticketfly.com/event/600187 Facebook Event: www.facebook.com/events/1431578153785792/ Event Hashtag: #BrewFestDAL

Don't Swear Off Beer - North Texas Beer & Wine Fest is Coming May 10!

You had a lot of fun at the Big Texas Beer Fest last weekend. So much fun you likely felt it the next morning. But before you go swearing off beer, keep in mind that you have four weeks to get back into tip top beer tasting condition with the North Texas Beer & Wine  Festival coming up on May 10.

They've got seminars on home brewing, performances in the beer garden and great chef demos (learned how to make the Velvet Taco Elotes last year thankyouverymuch).

Click here to get more info and get your tickets before they sell out!

Planning Your Next Picnic Date

You know how it goes. She(or maybe he) wants to go on a picnic at the Lake or the park because it's romantic. You kind of agree, assuming you can get past the sitting on the ground, bugs crawling around, and the bikers whizzing past you. But grocery bags aren't sexy, not even the ones from Central Market. So what's a girl or guy to do if you don't have your own cute picnic basket? The smart folks over at Scardello have you covered.

Scardello has picnic baskets available for rent. Inside the basket you'll find everything you need for the perfect picnic, packed with artisan cheeses, sliced baguette and wine along with glasses, plates, and all of the other service items you need to make your picnic a fantastic success! The best part is that they handle all the unfun parts of the picnic - packing, dishes and cleanup. And you're in the know about cheese or wine? That's ok too since you can customize to your hearts content and they'll provide the basket. Prices start at $49.95 and include the cheese and wine. Here's the rest of the deets from Scardello.

And just think, if it happens to be one of those very, very special picnics and you get a "yes," you can always register for your own picnic basket.

Brace Yourself . . . Big Texas Beer Fest is Coming

The Sig-O and I hit up the Big Texas Beer Fest last year and it was AMAZING. Featuring local beers, as well as some very not local (aka international) beers, this is a contender for one of the best beer festivals in town. Tickets are already on sale, and are likely to sell out (particularly the VIP tickets). VIP is the way to go if you've got the cash to spend (Just found out VIP has already sold out!), otherwise you'll likely find yourself in a line that snakes around the Automobile Building at Fair Park.(Also found out that they took note of that last year and are staffing up with lots of volunteers to fix this). I know we've got this one on our calendar again and are looking forward to checking out some new brews as well as revisiting favorites. www.bigtexasbeerfest.com  

Bowl & Barrel turns 1! And celebrates with cheap drinks!

Who doesn't love a birthday party? Nobody. Know what makes a birthday party better? Cheap drinks - like $1 drinks. Even better when it's good beer and Manhattans. Oh, and cake, because it's not a birthday without cake.

State Fair of Texas Ticket Deals!

Nobody should pay full price for tickets to the State Fair, which opens Friday. Here's a round up of the ticket deals (Thanks to the fabulous people at CultureMap):

North Texas Food Bank deals: On opening day, anyone who brings in a full 20 ounce Coca-Cola product or Dasani water will get into the fair for $6. Also, NTFB has teamed up with Kroger for a special deal every Wednesday, where everybody who brings in at least three cans of food gets in for $3. That means 3 cans for each person. Don’t try to get in a crowd on 3 cans.

It's good to be a senior: Sure, seniors — anyone 60 and over — already get a $4 discount from the regular price, but every Thursday during the State Fair is Senior Day, where those lucky folks can get in absolutely free.

McDonald's coupons: Eat at any area McDonald's, and you're likely to get a coupon for $3 off general admission, good for any day at the fair. They also have a coupon where a child can get in for half price when an adult pays full price, a discount of $6.50.

Dr Pepper deals: Make sure to save up those empty Dr Pepper cans, as each one is good for $5 admission on Tuesdays or $8 admission any day after 5 pm.

Coca-Cola Thursdays: In addition to the opening-day deal, every Thursday is Coca-Cola Thursday, where an empty 20-ounce bottle is good for $6 admission.

Dickies Day: Forget the Coke bottles on Thursday, October 3 — just make sure to wear any piece of clothing with a Dickies logoon it, and you'll get in for free.

Cinemark Thursdays: Movie lovers can trade one piece of entertainment for another on any Thursday, as a ticket stub from any Cinemark theater gets you in for free.

KISS-FM Fridays: Go to the KISS-FM site and print the coupon for $5 off general admission on any Friday. Make sure to print a coupon for every person in your group.

Discount on Midway rides: Saving on ticket prices is one thing, but everyone knows it's the rides and the food that really drive up the cost. If you go on any Tuesday, though, all rides except for thrill rides and the Texas Star are only six coupons, a savings of anywhere between two to six coupons (or $1-$3) per ride.

Today is FREE SLURPEE DAY AT 7-ELEVEN!

Big Texas Beer Fest is Coming!

Looking for Saturday afternoon day drinking plans? We've got the perfect plan - The Big Texas Beer Fest. 

The Big Texas Beer Fest 2013 is North Texas’ second-annual 100 percent craftbeer inspired festival. Last year’s festival featured approximately 80 breweries, and they're planning on topping 100 this year. That means we're talking about 400+ beers. That's a lot of beer. Some of the participating breweries have even promised exclusive kegs, rare beers and other specials just for the lager lovers, hopheads and other beer fans. 
The Big Texas Beer Fest runs at the Automobile Building at Fair Park 2-6:30 p.m. (starts at 1 p.m. for VIPs, but you didn't get your tickets early enough.) See you there!

If you don't have your tickets yet, you won't get to be a VIP(they sold out), but you can still get your general admission tickets here for $35. (IF they happen to have still have tickets at the door, the price jumps to $50, so just buy yours now) Your ticket will get you in the door, a cool sampling cup, and 12 samplings throughout the festival. (You can buy more, something about silly TABC rules.)

Drinking Local: Rahr, Franconia, DEBC, Community and Lakewood

The Sig-O and I have recently been on a quest to try all the new local breweries that seem to be popping up all over town. To date, we've checked out:

• Rahr Brewery - One of the older, more established ones in the area. Downside: It's in Fort Worth, so that's far to go to drink and still have to drive back to Dallas. Last time we visited Rahr, we made it a FW weekend, so it's like a staycation, without actually having to use that stupid word. The beer is great, the setting is good, as long as it's a nice termperature outside. We went in August without knowing and nearly died. But the beer was cold, so we lived. Beer Recommendation: Ugly Pug
• Franconia - It's another one that's far, but not as far as Rahr. Franconia is in McKinney, so it's a hike, but manageable. Again, when you visit the breweries that are farther away, I'd recommend making a day of it - beer, grabbing a bite in McKinney, and doing some outlet shopping in Allen - because outlet shopping is way more fun after a few beers. Beer Recommendation: Franconia Lager or Dunkel
• Deep Ellum Brewing Company - DEBC has got the Saturday tour thing down. Good beer, great patio, live music and usually a food truck or two. It's a great one to hit with a few friends and the location and the name are actually in agreement since it's actually in Deep Ellum (looking at you, Lakewood). Again, probably not a great option in the heat of the summer, unless you're prepared to sweat. There are also good food options in walking distance - Cane Rosso, Twisted Root, Angry Dog, just to name a few. Beer Recommendation: DEBC Double Brown Stout
• Community Beer Company - The Sig-O and I recently checked this one out. A relative newcomer to the local craft brew scene, these guys are ready to take DFW by storm. They've got a big warehouse space that will allow them plenty of room to continue to grow. The beer tour was interesting and the tour guide was talking about how they cultivate their own yeast, have a special lab, blah, blah, blah, but the Sig-O was interested. I was more interested in grabbing another beer. They also feature local artists, have live music and a food truck or two. Beer Recommendation: Regalement, it's seasonal, and it's awesome.
• Lakewood Brewing Company - This is the one with the confusing name since they're actually in Garland, but we'll give them a pass since nobody wants to be Garland Brewing Company. They're in an industrial/business parky area of Garland, so you'll be glad that you're using Google Maps rather than the iPhone Crap Maps. I'm not going to lie, Lakewood has the best tasting room set up, being set up with tables and a bar, rather than the usual big warehouse with nowhere to sit. They have the big warehouse too, for the beer tanks, and the usual food truck out back, but where they won me over (other then the great beer) was definitely the tasting room. Yes, call me a whiner because I don't want to be sweating or freezing to death, but Lakewood is definitely on the short list for a return visit. Beer Recommendation: Temptress.

We've got several others on the list to check out - Peticolas, Firewheel and Four Corners will definitely be coming up soon. Did we forget anyone?

Two Days Left of Half-Price Wine at Grimaldi's

Through the end of the month, Grimaldi's Pizzeria is offering half priced daily wine. You can also check out their featured pizza and cheesecake combo of the month: their famous Bruschetta pizza - white pizza topped with diced Roma tomatoes, chopped basil and grated parmesan. Make sure to leave room for the new Bailey's Irish Cream Cheesecake - rich and smooth Bailey's Cream cheesecake topped with whipped cream, in an Oreo cookie crust. Sounds like a good date night.

What You Should Be Drinking: Patron XO Cafe Dark Cocoa

The Sig-O and I were fortunate enough to be invited to the recent Patron Cocktail lab event at Candleroom. Yes, we were pretty much sold at Patron. But this was not a tequila shot kind of night. We were going to learn to be mixologists.

While I've never been a fan of the lounges that have long lines and require bottle service, Candleroom is a tucked away venue that is perfect for private events. Patron took over for the evening, inviting us in with patron lemon mojitos which were just what was needed as we came in from the still sweltering heat at 7 p.m. Patron took a different, and much appreciated, route with their brand event. While there have been a number of brand ambassador events lately that were large events with 100+ people, Patron opted for a smaller, more intimate and interactive evening.

While the evening certainly included the usual Patron Silver, Reposado and Anejo, the standouts were Patron XO Cafe and Patron XO Cafe Dark Cocoa, which is exactly what you should be drinking. I wasn't familiar with the Cocoa, but immediately took a liking to it and decided that it would be included as I became a mixologist for the evening. Patron even brought in the "real" mixologists from Tate's, Oak and other local bars known for their unique cocktails. Not only do these guys know how to make a great cocktail, they know how to help you acheive the cocktail of your dreams.

Back to the Patron XO Cafe Dark Cocoa. I decided we'd make a drink that was what every girl wants to drink after diner but before being convinced to come up for a night cap - a chocolate covered strawberry. They showed us how to muddle the strawberries with a bit of rosemary, simple syrup and a splash of Patron Silver. We then added 2 oz of Patron XO Cafe Dark Cocoa, shook it with ice and strained it into a martini glass. Garnished it with a strawberry and proceeded to drink it. It. Was. Awesome.

And now Patron XO Cafe Dark Cocoa is on my liquor shopping list(stop judging me). Thank Patron.

Free Iced Tea Day at La Madeleine

Today, June 20th only, head on over to your local La Madeleine French Country Cafe to snag a FREE Regular Iced Tea or Mango Iced Tea (no coupon needed and no purchase necessary!). Limit one per guest; valid 6/20 only.

Free Slurpees Tomorrow at 7-11

Yes, they're the tiny 7.11 ounce Slurpees. But they're free. And they're at all the 7-11's in town. But wait, it starts at 11 a.m., so no morning Slurpee for you. Oh, and they only have a limited number of those silly little cups, so you better get there early. They've got some new flavors out too, so this is a good opportunity to taste those random ones you keep thinking about before you just get the usual half cherry/half coke concoction. And it's free.

Il Cane Rosso is My New Favorite Brunch Spot

I hate it when my favorite restaurants get all crowded. Yes, I love that they are successful and will continue to be around, but the waiting part sucks. Everyone knows about Cane Rosso in Deep Ellum. And for those other people who don't, they will after the Diners, Dive-Ins, and Drives airs this week. We're lucky to have these great places that get their time in the national spotlight, but as a pre-DDD customer, I cringe at the thought of the throngs of people toting their misbehaving children into restaurants I love. But this isn't about how happy I am to be 1/2 of a DINK couple (Dual Income, No Kids), it's about the amazing brunch the Sig-O and I had on Sunday.

Cane Rosso recently decided to change it up and  be open for Sunday brunch, which made me a happy camper. Yes, they had previously done Saturday brunch, but that just wasn't terribly convenient. Yes, I've been known to drink on patios before noon on Saturday, but I don't make it a regular practice because, too often, there's just a bunch of stuff I need to get done on Saturday so we can drink on a patio and become worthless for the rest of the day on Sunday. Fortunately, Cane Rosso is now open on Sunday and has a great patio, which just so happens to be dog-friendly. If the Sig-O would get around to training the demon in fur to stop being such a jacka$$ with other dogs, I'm sure we would have taken him and enjoyed it.

Moving on to brunch. The full menu is available, but the real reason to wake up and head over to Deep Ellum is the brunch menu. I started with a mimosa (duh) and the Sig-O opted for a Michelada, which is basically a bloody mary made with beer instead of vodka. We rationalized that this could actually be a healthier version of a bloody mary when done with light beer. With eight choices on the brunch menu, it's not the number of choices that makes you wonder what to order as much as the number of freaking amazing choices available. Everything sounded good. For real. So we asked our friendly waitress for her thoughts, which turned out to be a great call since she let us know that the hash wasn't going to be with hot sopressata and braised pork, but rather in-house smoked brisket. Sold! 1 million times sold! Seriously, the Sig-O was all over that like white on rice. Me, I was still debating several options, but I'm a believer that a good brunch must have good eggs benedict, so I went with the Cane Rosso Benedict.

After just a few minutes of enjoying the sunshine on the patio with our cocktails, our brunch arrived. The brisket hash was brisket(duh), 2 over easy eggs, fonduta and crostini. The Sig-O went for the first bite and it was like I had been completely replaced. I think I might have even heard proposals of marriage to that brisket hash from that side of the table. I had to try it. Reluctantly, the Sig-O let me take a bite, but only after repeating, "you know the fact that I'm sharing this with you at all means I love you, right?" I was like, "yea, yea, whatever. Less talking, more food sharing." And then I took that bite. OMG! That brisket hash was totally proposal worthy. The flavors came together perfectly. The smokiness of the brisket, the spiciness of the chilies in the gravy, the eggs. Seriously, this is the kind of brunch food that keeps a restaurant at the top of your brunch choices even when the suburbanites and their broods invade your brunch patio.

The Cane Rosso Benedict was not about to play second fiddle to some hash. With the over easy eggs on top of crispy pancetta and fried polenta, topped with Calabrian chile gravy and complemented by delightful oven-roasted breakfast potatoes, this benedict is a force to be reckoned with that most assuredly puts Cane Rosso on my list of best brunches in town. There was even Jimmy's crumbled sausage in that chile gravy. I get pancetta, sausage, eggs, fried polenta, and breakfast potatoes with that amazing gravy all in one dish? This isn't brunch, this is amazing. In case you're not already full from licking your brunch plate clean, they do offer dessert. Sig-O and I just couldn't manage that one for brunch, but I highly recommend the S'mores calzone as I've shared it with coworkers at lunch and we found ourselves fork sparring for the last bits of chocolate and marshmellow goodness.

It's been quite some time since the Sig-O and I found ourselves both saying Wow to a brunch, but Cane Rosso deserves it. And they deserve to be featured on Triple-D. I just hope I can still snag a patio table after it airs.

Go. Preferably tonight. www.ilcanerosso.com/

Thursday Night Brewery Tours at Deep Ellum Brewing Company

Not going to lie. I totally just cut & pasted this from D, but it sounds awesome:


Starting this Thursday, Deep Ellum Brewing Company will host Thursday evening tours of the brewery from 5-7PM. They kick off their new program with live music by Whiskey Folk Ramblers. Food, for purchase, is available from Buzzbrews Deep Ellum. $10 at the gate which includes DEBC souvenir glass and DEBC beer. 972-439-2413.

Beer Dinner at Katy Trail Ice House Tonight

Pub Crawl for a Cause

Drink Local: TexasFest at Sigels Elite

I'm a good Texan, so is the Sig-O, despite technically from Oklahoma. So, we're all in favor of drinking local, which is why we're excited about Sigel's upcoming TexasFest - A Lone Star Celebration of Texas Craft Beer, Spirits & Wine at Sigel's Elite (3209 N. Fitzhugh)

Reserve Your TexasFest Passport

 

Your TexasFest Passport entitles you to taste any 12 of the following:

21 Texas Brews, 19 Texas Spirits & 6 Texas Wines 

Distillery, brewery and winery representatives will be on hand to sample a selection of Texas-made libations and to answer any questions you may have about them. Enjoy special sale prices on all the products. Whether you are a novice trying to broaden your knowledge or a seasoned connoisseur looking to refresh your palate, this spectacular Texas event should not be missed!

 Click here to RSVP & reserve your Passport

It Doesn't Matter How You Feel About Yelp, It's About the CHEAP Drinks

Save The Date! 

Yelp Drinks is back and better than ever! You might even need to hydrate for the next two months to gear up for this week full of awesome happy hour prices, yelp
tastic themed events, and overall debauchery!

When: February 27th - March 4th, 2012
Where: Various locations

Click here for all the details